Flexible figure toy sleeve means with means for moving same

ABSTRACT

AN ANIMATION DEVICE HAVING A TUBULAR MOUNTING SHAFT WITH A HOLLOW FLEXIBLE LIFE-FORM SLEEVE-COVER PROTRUDING FROM ONE END THEREOF AND A FLEXIBLE FILLER SLEEVE-COVER WITHIN THE SAID LIFE-FORM SLEEVE-COVER AND A FLEXIBLE SLEEVE WITHIN SAID FILLER SLEEVE-COVER. THE SHAFT, COVER AND SLEEVE ARE SLIDABLY CONNECTED TO AN AXIS CONTROL ROD WHICH IS SLIDABLY AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE SAID TUBULAR MOUNTING SHAFT SO THAT RELATIVE SLIDING AND/OR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE SAID CONTROL ROD AND THE SAID MOUNTING SHAFT WILL IMPART A UNIQUE AND LIFE-LIKE MOVEMENT AS WELL AS A CHANGE IN FLEXIBILITY TO SAID LIFE-FORM SLEEVE-COVER AND COEXTENSIVE FILLER SLEEVE-COVER AND SLEEVE.

W. H. CASE March 16, 1971 FLEXIBLE FIGURE TOY SLEEVE MEANS WITH MEANS FOR MOVING SAME Original Filed June 19, 1967 [TI/II/IIj/l l %zm% 4 Km United States Patent Office 3,570,173 FLEXIBLE FIGURE TOY SLEEVE MEANS WITH MEANS FOR MOVING SAME William Hayes Case, 308 S. 2nd St., Marshalltown, Iowa 50158- Continuation of application Ser. No. 647,051, June 19, 1967, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 442,623, Mar. 25, 1965. This application Dec. 31, 1968, Ser. No. 789,659

Int. Cl. A63h 3/00 US. Cl. 46-124 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An animation device having a tubular mounting shaft with a hollow flexible life-form sleeve-cover protruding from one end thereof and a flexible filler sleeve-cover within the said life-form sleeve-cover and a flexible sleeve within said filler sleeve-cover. The shaft, cover and sleeve are slidably connected to an axis control rod which is slidably and rotatably mounted within the said tubular mounting shaft so that relative sliding and/ or rotational movement between the said control rod and the said mounting shaft will impart a unique and life-like movement as well as a change in flexibility to said life-form sleeve-cover and coextensive filler sleeve-cover and sleeve.

This application is a continuation of application 647,- 051, now abandoned, continuation-in-part of application 442,623, filed Mar. 25, 1965, now Pat. 3,332,103 issued July 25, 1967, entitled The Adjustable Applicator and Cleaner which is now in the status of allowance. In this application said applicator and cleaner is converted into an animated toy by the use of a figure toy sleeve means which includes a flexible life-form sleeve-cover and may also include a suitable flexible filler sleeve-cover which forms the interior body of the specific creature or thing to be simulated. Thus the said applicator and cleaner by the addition of a special life-form sleeve-cover has a different use, namely an animation device, which is outside the category of adjustable applicators and cleaners.

This animation device is a toy in which a life-like figure is caused to become rigid or flexible, rotate and extend angularly from the axis of the handle by relative sliding and rotational movements between parts of the handle.

In the drawing accompanying this application FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the animation device in which No. 1 is the axis control rod, No. 2 is the tubular mounoing shaft and No. is the life-form sleeve-cover. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the said device showing the flexible coil-spring sleeve No. 3 and the flexible filler sleeve-cover No. 4 with said axis control rod No. 1 inserted to extremity of said sleeve No. 3 causing minimum angular extension of life-form sleeve-cover No. 5. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of said device in which axis control rod No. 1 is partially withdrawn from mounting shaft No. 2 so that life-form sleeve-cover No. 5 supported by filler sleeve-cover No. 4 and flexible sleeve No.3 is partially extended angularly from axis line of shaft No. 2.

DESCRIPTION Tubular mounting shaft 2 should be of light but strong material of sufficient rigidness so as not to bend while operating the animation device. Axis control rod 1, in its simplest form is a straight rod wth a bend in one end for hand leverage. Said rod is inserted in said shaft and should be long enough to also extend the length of the flexible sleeve 3 secured at the opposite end of said shaft. Said rod may be bent or curved as desired at end opposite of 3,570,173 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 said hand leverage. A figure toy sleeve means is provided for covering flexible sleeve 3 to produce the animated toy. The figure toy sleeve means includes external life-form sleeve-cover 5, which carries at its end a simulation of a living creatures head. If desired the figure toy sleeve means may be constructed to include filler sleeve-cover 4. Filler sleeve-cover 4 fits over said sleeve 3 and extends to shaft 2 where said sleeve-cover 4 may be secured. Sleevecover 4 should be of light flutfy material such as wool preferably with soft sheep skin 'base or any similar material which may serve as a flexible filler for the interior body of the thing or creature to be simulated. Filler sleevecover 4 may not be necessary in slender bodies such as giraffe and ostrich. Life-form sleeve-cover 5 may be of flexible material such as cloth, soft sheep skin, plastic, rubber etc. Life-form sleeve-cover 5 is shaped to fit over suitable filler sleeve-cover 4 simulating some form of life. Life-form sleeve-cover 5 is also secured to tubular mounting shaft 2. Axis control rod 1 may be attached at the handle end to a sleeve of rigid material or combination of materials in such a manner that such sleeve may be fitted externally slidably and rotatably to tubular mounting shaft 2 to provide a comfortable hand grip. Interesting life-forms that can be simulated are roosters, ostriches, giraffes, ducks, swans, caterpillars, clowns and flowers or vegetation. Almost anything that moves may serve as a possible life-form. The head and neck of creatures may be slidably or rotatably attached to said creatures bodies so that no torsion will occur in the said bodies when said head and neck of such creatures might rotate or extend angularly, allowing body to remain stationary by force of gravity.

I claim:

1. In a toy of the class described,

a tubular mounting shaft,

a figure toy sleeve means for simulating a living creature said sleeve means including a hollow flexible life-form sleeve-cover secured to one end of said shaft, and extending outwardly therefrom,

a hollow flexible sleeve within said life-form sleeve-cover and secured to said shaft with the interior of said shaft being in communication with the interior of said hollow flexible sleeve, and

an axis control rod slidably mounted in said shaft and said hollow flexible sleeve so that withdrawal of said rod from a portion of said sleeve will render flexible said portion and the coextensive portion of said lifeform sleeve-cover and insertion of said rod into said sleeve will render rigid the portions of said sleeve and said life-form sleeve-cover coextensive with the inserted portion of said rod, said toy including means for moving said rod relative to said sleeve to effect said withdrawal and said insertion.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein said figure toy sleeve means includes a hollow flexible filler sleeve-cover fitted exterior to said hollow flexible sleeve and interior to said lif-form sleeve-cover to provide a flexibe inner body to said life-form sleeve-cover.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein said rod is bent within said flexible sleeve so that the bend in said rod will move a portion of the length of said sleeve and said life-form sleeve-cover to an angular position with respect to said tubular mounting shaft upon sliding movement of said rod within said mounting shaft.

4. The toy of claim 2 wherein said rod is bent within said flexible sleeve so that the bend in said rod will move a portion of the length of said sleeve, said filler sleevecover and said life-form sleeve-cover to an angular position with respect to said tubular mounting shaft upon sliding movement of said rod within said mounting shaft.

5. The toy of clam 1 wherein said axis control rod is both slidably and rotatably mounted in said tubular mounting shaft.

6. The toy of claim 2 wherein said axis control rod is both slidably and rotatably mounted in said tubular mounting shaft.

7. The toy of claim 3 wherein said axis control rod is both slidably and rotatably mounted in said tubular mounting shaft.

8. The toy of claim 4 wherein said axis control rod is both slidably and rotatably mounted in said tubular mounting shaft.

9. The toy of claim 1 wherein said hollow flexible sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

10. The toy of claim 2 wherein said hollow flexible sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

11. The toy of claim 3 wherein sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

12. The toy of claim 4 wherein sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

13. The toy of claim '5 wherein sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

14. The toy of claim 6 wherein sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

15. The toy of claim 7 wherein sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

said hollow flexible said hollow flexible said hollow flexible said hollow flexible said hollow flexible 4 16. The toy of claim 8 wherein said hollow flexible sleeve is a flexible coil spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 672,797 4/ 1901 McCormack 46-116 769,935 9/1904 Brorn 461 16 847,499 3/1907 OFlaherty 46-128 1,062,129 5/1913 Sweeney 46146 3,346,989 10/1967 Ryan et al. 46-116X 1,498,950 6/1924 Chinn 46-135X 2,184,639 12/1939 Exline. 2,184,639 12/1939 Exline 46-135 3,099,894 8/1963 Carroll 46-123X 3,212,213 10/1965 Perego 46123X 3,236,006 2/1966 Carroll 46-123X FOREIGN PATENTS 141,307 4/1920 Great Britain 46-116 F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 46-145 l .21 

